Much like the Villein farmer of a bygone era

With determination, dedication and connection to the land

Our vines work tirelessly to express the vineyard’s terroir

With each bottle of Villein, we celebrate this legacy.

VILLEIN began in 2018 but the journey started long before. Paul & Lynn O’Neill have been growing grapes at their Walker Vine Hill property in Russian River Valley since 2003.

Walker Vine Hill, a boutique syrah vineyard with a micro-climate that consistently ripens the most stunning fruit, has provided many winemakers critical acclaim.

After many great wine vintages throughout the years providing fruit to Pax Wines, Donelan, Bedrock, Arnot Roberts, Revik, and Joseph Swan Vineyards, we decided to turn professional…on a very small scale. With Cody Sapieka, a Sonoma County Winemaker and family friend, our wine project, VILLEIN, was born with a portion of the 2018 Walker Vine Hill Syrah harvest.

In 2019, to compliment our inaugural cool climate syrah, we created a distinctive and rarely found northern Rhone Valley white wine blend of Marsanne and Roussanne grapes from Alder Springs, an iconic Mendocino AVA vineyard.

Villein is a brand of Copaly LLC, dba Copaly Cellars. Our business model is to stay small and focused, making our wines in a modern custom crush facility in Sonoma.

Then, under our 17 & 20 ABC licenses, market and sell our wines to wholesalers, retailers, and most importantly, directly to our VILLEIN followers.

Here at Villein, we have two simple passions!

Our connection to the land as grape farmers has been humbling at times, but rewarding none the less. So too are our friendships nourished through the enjoyment of wine.